Whether large or small, simple or complex, technical or not, what are your ideas ?

To get started, here are some thoughts:

1) Put see through glass Tesla Shield on hood made of painted glass. The shield and letter T are left clear glass and shows off the frunk by day. At night a Hue light , with millions of color variations can can be turn on inside the frunk to light up the shield and T during night driving.

4) Retractable semi-opaque, tinted sun visors controlled by button on steering wheel similar to pulling down a window shade electronically. It's more functional because it allows the driver to control visor on driver's window, passenger window, and both sides of the windshield. Could this be the world's best sun visor?

5) Have all wheels turn to 90 degrees, great for parallel parking. Have car capable of self parking.

The .car extensions have voice only interface, with limited button pushing similar to a radio, no texting except through voice to text.

7) Shape the red tail lights as close as possible to the Tesla T Logo. Red led lights across bumper under the plate spell out Tesla Motors EV and highlight when brakes applied.

8) Equip Gen III with two sliding doors or 4 regular doors. To create easier access the opening door includes 1/3 of the roof. Also press a button in the door jamb to slide the front seats forward.

A variation of this, have 1/3 strip of roof retract toward the center of the roof when you open the door.

9 ) NFD Near Field Discounts auction. Type in lunch etc. 5 miles distance, 2hrs for exa and nearby Merchants continuously update bids against each other on giving you discounts for lunch.

10) KeyPay/CarPal digitized keychain can be used to pay electronically, and receits are tagged& organized into personal & business categories for taxes. Syncs with smartphone app and car consol to store info on the web.

Tesla should do whatever it can to get a 200 mile range, with supercharging ability for $29,990 (after tax credits/incentives) on Gen III.
This would make Gen III a real game changer for the industry.
All other luxuries should be additional as options.
Like the idea of the colour changing Shield, Tesla should do something really unique so that people can immediately identify the brand...but it has to stay classy, not cheesy...there is a fine line there.

Timo | 10 Dicembre 2012

4WD with two or even four motors for performance. Other than that not many wishes, just a bit above average car with plenty of storage and quiet interior and 300+ mile max range at 75mph battery option.

Tesluthian | 10 Dicembre 2012

cmadsen:

1) Yes definitely heads up display, how about ability to put a photo or two on bottom of windshield as well. Shouldn't obstruct the view of anything except the hood.

2) How about a "heads way up" interior roof display instead of glass, the roof interior has the new flexible screen display to create your own scenery , or a big screen TV for backseaters/kids. I think various galaxy scenes at night, or a trip to mars repeating wallpaper video would be good, for exa's.

3) Also like infrared display. In fact there are a whole range of safety technologies, like lane deviation, drowsy driver, anti-collision, anti-skid etc. I would like to see Tesla have a safety technologies package to guarantee no accidents not your fault, with a few exceptions like speeding or DWI. This could disrupt the insurance industry as we know it, and allow steep discounts with the safety package, making these technologies more affordable. Perhaps Tesla could offer the insurance, or partner with an Insurance company. Eventually the self driving car would have all these technologies and automatically qualify for the steep Insurance discount and the no accidents your fault guarantee after establishing a quantity of real world data and statistics.

ghillair | 10 Dicembre 2012

The GenIII is to be a smaller, afordable car for the average car buyer. The target price is $30,000 (after rebate). All of your ideas will delay the roll out of the GenIII and reduce the volume sold. Neither atractive to us stock holders.

Your list maybe appropriate for the Model S 2.0 and 3.0 (also X), but the priority is:
Meet the demand for the S
Build out the super charger network
Roll out the X
Develope and roll out the GenIII
Then work on enhancements.

There is only time and money to do so much.

Timo | 10 Dicembre 2012

GenIII is actually a platform which is used to produce that affordable car. It is also platform to make next generation roadster. There will be many different models with that platform.

Jolinar | 10 Dicembre 2012

Competing in it own price tag... that is only thing that matters :-)
So I would like to see features that are cheap to produce in large quantity (since Gen III is heading for mass market), so it don't have big impact on price and yet they are interesting enough for common buyer.

Tesluthian | 10 Dicembre 2012

teddyg

I agree with the classy not trashy styling. That's the beauty of generating a lot of ideas:
1) It allows you to discuss & choose among many ideas.
2) It can allow you to find ideas that meet more than one standard or multiple criteria.

I think the taillight shaped like a Tesla T would be stylish, the flashing "Tesla EV" - probably trashy. As for the front hood glass Tesla shield, I was thinking back to the days of the TransAm hood eagle, not sure, have to see it.

In regards to getting the price down, How about under $20,000 for a new car ? Let's say the the GenIII comes in at $38,000 for a new car that's bigger than a compact and and smaller than the model S, and they keep the all aluminum body, and you get a new battery guarantee at 10k average or less. Say after 3 years, your needs, taste or desires change and you want something new. What's wrong with selling half a new car ? Take the highly modular shell off, and put on a completely new style shell on top of the old platform for about half the price, $19,000 dollars. Change a hatchback to a jeep/beach car/, minivan, mini pickup, mini suv etc. or as they develope new cars they are not only platform compatible, and modular; but, transformable. The old shell traded in for scrap. In essence, you swap the car's shell instead of the battery.

This could possibly be done at service centers eventually creating new jobs and distributed manufacturing.

Since a new battery is not produced, the vehicle life cycle emissions are greatly reduced. And I would introduce a new term/concept "emissions during the owners life cycle". Or assume the typical owner buys ten New cars in a lifetime, but only 3 new cars and 7 half new cars, that eliminates manufacturing 2/3rds of the batteries, greatly reducing the emissions over the owners life purchasing cycle.

Tesluthian | 10 Dicembre 2012

ghillair

Yes I agree, come up with ideas to keep the Gen III cost down and/ or speed up manufacturing. Perhaps we can rate ideas 1-10 (best) for getting cost down. 1-10 for increasing manufacturing efficiency. 1-10 for unique and very necessary for inexpensive practicality. Eventually usefull ideas may pop up that meet several criteria. When we get to hundred ideas, we can rate the ten best for various categories. Rejected ideas may be good for other categories/models/platforms if the Tesla.

For exa, number 8 on my first/original post. I have a hard time getting into a Buick , let alone a small car, my head & or shoulders catch on the roof. So I would rate getting in and out of the car comfortably in the 7 -10 in practicality. I guess our brains think in terms of corners, but why does the car door have to articulate at the corner/edge of the roof, unless your trying to cause pain to some older drivers getting in and out, or don't want taller drivers buying the car ? For a smaller car, getting in/out without aggravation can be a problem, and I believe solutions need not be expensive.

I look forward to getting in/out easier without scraping my torso on the edge of the roof.

Full disclosure, I'm always long Tesla shares, sold some covered calls once or twice.

Tesluthian | 10 Dicembre 2012

Timo

A motor for every wheel would make the Gen III good for drag racing, lol.

Tesluthian | 10 Dicembre 2012

Jolinar

I also agree with your criteria:

1) Inexpensive to buy
2) Easy to mass market
3) Attracive/Interesting features to the common buyer

We should give that some more priority, and get some revolutionary manufacturing ideas to get the costs down for the mass market appeal in the hundreds of thousands of sales per year which helps both buyers and shareholders, if Tesla can maintain profit margins.

I have no doubt Elon Musk and his team can keep building the most innovative and appealing cars in the world.

FLsportscarenth... | 10 Dicembre 2012

Whether or not you are a shareholder if you are active on this forum you want to see Tesla succeed and thrive as a company, so my thoughts are to some extent similar to ghillair...

The first order of business is satisfying demand for the Model S and building out the Supercharging network to support and bolster sales, taking care of reservation holders and getting the time from ordering to delivery down to two months or less will take till around 3rd quarter 2013 in my guestimation.

After the queue of 'bespoke' cars lessens I think it wise to go after fleet sales (police cars, higher end taxis and rental cars and cars for government and corporate fleets). The economies of scale built by getting through the ~16,000 bespoke cars can translate to being able to turn a profit and still be able to offer fleet discounts. This volume (without a lot of complications of customisation) sold to larger customers is VERY important to stablising Tesla's financial outlook after 'burning though' its accumulated reservation holders. Thereafter building a small number of 'cars for the lot' (~5 - 10% of pre-sold production should be safe and practical) will satisfy impulse buyers and people that like the car but do not want to wait or see the need for a customised one.

With the Model S line moving smoothly in later 2013 focus should be shifted to readying the Model X production line, as it shares a lot with S this will likely be less stressing for TM than the Model S rollout. I am not a huge fan of the Model X itself but it will satisfy a different niche and add variety to the Tesla lineup and I think it will be a profitable product and worth doing even if they sell only 12,000 a year (the usual sequence, bespoke customers, fleets, then 5 to 10% more for the lot). In 2014 with S's readily available and the X line cranking though the bespoke queue the Gen III should be close to making history for Tesla and the EV world...

The time, lessons learned and economy of scale will make a model C, 'cheap' or 'compact' however you want to call it, possible. It can use mature Tesla technology to keep development costs down and a sticker price of 29.9k for the base model (200 mile range) would really be a game changer and cement TM's establishment as major automaker for everyone... A Model C should not have any of the new features mentioned by other posters, just what works and does not cost too much per car, no 'bells and whistles' but quality maintained... Sure is entry level, but will not tarnish Tesla's name with shoddy product. Model C should maintain what Tesla is about: quality, sporty, and electric but every man can have it, and start saving for a Model S or Model R (new roadster). For body style I think a Gen I type Ford Probe would make a good starting point (was the lowest drag co-efficient of its time, carries 5 people and still looks sleek) or a Dodge Daytona (not so expensive to produce but cool looking. Sleek body style is VERY important, Model C should NOT be a ugly duckling like a Leaf or a featureless blob like the Prius, it is a entry car to whet the public's appetite for higher end Models, Entry level does not have to mean ugly.

AFTER the Model C is up and running, (late 2014?) and proven that TM can make a successful mass market car, it is time to go back to Testa's roots and bring back the roadster... The Model R could have all the cool toys the others mention and be better than the original with the same price (due to better design, batteries advances and economy of scale). The Model R would be to the Model C as the Corvette is to the Camaro. From the Model R would spring the Super R - Same shape but packed with batteries and an over-sized electric motor - to be a Veyron killer - The fastest car on earth and pure electric... Likely can do a run of 500 Super Rs and charge 900k for it (Veyrons sold over 300 for 1.4 million, move over Bugatti, Tesla is taking the top spot!

Brian H | 10 Dicembre 2012

Tesluthian;
Interesting idea, swapping shells. Not sure it would be practicable, but imagine changing your family sedan into a GenIII Roadster when the nest empties ...

Vawlkus | 12 Dicembre 2012

A more common tire size would be nice.

Super charger access for DAMNED sure. Even if its an optional extra.

Heated steering wheel is a "nice to have" but expendable.

Don't need Model S stats, but better than ICE performance off the line would be awesome.

A way to power your house from it would exceptionally awesome, even if it leads to people having to choose between mobility or powered shelter.

Definitely needs a spare tire though. Model S can get away with not having one, but Gen III will need it for sure. My suggestion is dedicate the frunk for spare tire and easy access tools. You could still use it for storage as well, but maybe not to put the groceries in (use the trunk for that).

Rear USB, power hookups and cup holders would be nice too :)
Rear climate control as well.

up north | 12 Dicembre 2012

300 mile range, super charger, very good looking, safe, comfortable, fast, and every goodie you can get on a high end auto.

FLsportscarenth... | 12 Dicembre 2012

Model C would be a strip down, so everyone can start driving a Tesla, no flashy expensive stuff but but cool styling comes standard so you will not be embarrassed to drive it but affordable (the 29.9k base model that could go 200 miles would be a doable goal) you could charge extra for anything else. Model R, S 2.0 and high trim X could have all the amenities like that heated steering wheel - sounds a bit odd to me but I guess some will like it (is it a spa or is it a car? Do you want the seats to give massages too? I want a holigram of a pretty geisha girl to whisper sweet nothings in my ear while I get my massage driving down I-95!!!). Super R would have all that yuppie stuff out the window to save on weight and be a pure electric speed machine - its mission to kill the prestige of the polluting noisy Veyron and prove to all, even gearheads, that ICE cars are history...

The supercharger option should be available on every model but to hit the 29.9k price target you may have charge a significant amount more for it. That way you can say Supercharging is a 'Telsa thing' and aspirant C drivers can chat with R drivers who have made it up the product ladder waiting at the chargers...

Wow Model S does not have a spare? BIG mistake! Potholes and nails are on roads EVERYWHERE... Even when I lived in mild climate CA I had blowouts and had to change the tyre. A Tesla may be superior in all other things but a tyre is a tyre and flats are a part of life... Are you going to need a tow every time you get a flat... SUPER DUMB!

Vawlkus | 13 Dicembre 2012

I've had one flat tire in twenty years of driving. You just gotta know the roads :P

FLsportscarenth... | 13 Dicembre 2012

I drive on average 35k miles a year (would go up if I had a Tesla), I drive hard and love driving. I drive more freeway miles but live in an urban areas and on rare occasion drive on turf, dirt, beach and gravel roads. I sometimes drive up to pothole ridden NY and through industrial areas. I get flats/blowouts about once every 1.5 to 2 years on the car I happen to be driving (I own several). A spare is a must, better if they offer normally in stock type tyres - my Delorean uses oddball size tyres and it is very annoying...

A car is for exploring and not just for going in familiar places, so yeah I would not intentionally go down rocky dirt tracks with it but it has to be durable as a normal sedan...

Tesluthian | 16 Dicembre 2012

Vawlkus,

I like the idea about using the Tesla battery as a backup electric generator for the house, nice wow factor, no ice car can do that, 7-10.

A couple of detachable/ carry-able regular wall plug packs, also with USB ports, rechargeable from the car also would be nice for portable heaters, electronics, or camping supplies. Also compliments cigarette plug electronics.

As for the spare tire, I think this is also a 7-10. I can see the company is trying to save space & cut cost; but, I agree with others one should be included for the price.

Perhaps Tesla should give you a choice:
1) A spare tire mounted as you
suggest.

2) 4 self fixing tires you can drive
20 to 40 miles after flat to get
fixed at a tire repair shop. This
allows you the extra storage
space.

3) Both so you can drive home & fix
or change the flat yourself, if close
enough, & keep the spare in the
garage.

In addition, Tesla might consider creating, or partnering with with a triple
AAA type service with training/expertise in Tesla/electric car type issues, flats, towing, maybe even bring a super charger with them for road service cars, $ 20/mo ? The extra revenue might pay for the tire.

Instead of heated steering wheel I much rather have heated wiper blades that keeps snow and ice from building up on the wipers. If you have ever needed heated wipers, you will really appreciate them.

Also how about a simulated, on screen, voice activated CB that allows Tesla owners to communicate online. Tesla's regular public CB channel, 11.

This Tesla CB would not be citizen band; but, a digital VOIP system ,( TB TeslaZens Band ?), and therefore not range bound to a couple miles. It could even be world wide. Instead of 40 channels, they could be unlimited for private groups.

Remember silicon valley software & electronics is in Tesla's power wheelhouse, their cars are stuffed with electronics like fighter jets, things like this might not be that difficult for them, while putting them head and shoulders above the rest and create a lot of future possibilities yet unimagined.

Like a TB/CB permission button, your location is plotted on a map with other participants on public TSLA TB/CB channels. You could ask other Teslazens how's the weather there, how busy is that super charger station, or just listen to conversations.

Then there could be the Tesla Salesman option package. This includes :
1) A combination bar printer/scanner
mounted in the dash.
2) CarFax $ 10/mo ?
3) A credit card swipe attached to
Keyholder.
* This is for incoming biz payments,
carpal/carpay mentioned previously
, is for outgoing payments, biz &
personal.

Smartphone apps that take check
payments already exist, But it could
also be in the Tesla CarApp store
done by a third party, similar to
Apples App store setup. You
wouldn't have to buy apps, unless
you want them, and they would be
a revenue generator for Tesla.
Things like an app store. Would bring
lots of value to the car without cost to
the buyer or Tesla who makes
money taking a cut of third party app
sales.

I was reading an analyst piece on Tesla who thinks it's possible for Tesla to get to 400,000 cars a year. To do that, I think the Gen III cars will have to have exceptional appeal to get the volume up and the cost down. It's kind of a chicken or the egg type thing, which comes first ?

In reference to comments by @Genhill & @FLsportscarenth.. about wanting Tesla to succeed; and delaying the roll out of gen III and to clear up any confusio;, I meant this as a fun creative brainstorming for generating maybe a handful of ideas that Tesla and customers may be interested in for the short/medium/long term.

Perhaps some people could post creativity, critical reasoning, and/or brainstorming technique links. I believe most people can pick these techniques up on there own with a little reading. I see this approach very worthwhile & enjoyable.

As Professor S. James Gates quoted in one of his YouTube videos:
"Einstein Said, 'Imagination is more
important than knowledge'."

To that I would add a desire for truth , and the common good.

To clarify for everyone, I never intended for these ideas to all be short term and all 100 implemented at once.

A few simple, fast, low cost, no cost ideas for Gen III, etc to start, a few other ideas for later.

But to get those few ideas, it may be necessary to generate a lot to choose from.

And I wouldn't underestimate Tesla engineers, they they seem to have plenty of both imagination/creativity and lots of knowledge to make it happen. Great innovators need great ideas to implement. And I'm sure anyone who ever did any great innovation, had a lot of people telling them it couldn't be done.

I think we are at about 25 suggestions and ideas or so. Remember this is for all kind of ideas, simple or complex; maybe just a desired feature, like a great navigation system, (Tesla's tight with google); or suggest partnerships to cut cost like NFR (Near Field Reverse Ebay auctions) for food, hotels, whatever your buying, or tourist activities, (remember Elon sold PayPal to EBay & made them a lot of money they could be a partner for that).

And for fun, futuristic, ideas, after pointing out potential problems, let Tesla decide if they can be done, or are worthwhile and/or can be fit in the schedule. I see even Mr Elon Musk has said in many interviews, he really likes feedback, positive or negative; but, I myself am sticking to positive.

If your worried about the cost of Gen III , suggest ideas to cut cost, like maybe a computer screen just a little bit smaller, could you live with a screen 12 inches by 12 inches ? If not, maybe have a larger computer screen as an option. If you want something for nothing I think the the Tesla app store is the way to go, it even generates revenue for Tesla, is that a negative cost?

I think it's fun coming up with ideas, a good skill to have, and should be applied to the common good. I believe Tesla inspires imagination and desire for truth, as well as future innovation & improvements, I'm all for their success, I think they are a great role model and inspiration.

"If your worried about the cost of Gen III , suggest ideas to cut cost, like maybe a computer screen just a little bit smaller, could you live with a screen 12 inches by 12 inches ? "

I don't think you could actually save anything with smaller screen. These touch-screens are actually very cheap, and saves the money by giving single point of access to many features. Also it needs to be rather big to give useful enough UI that you can hit the right button when driving without too much distraction. Maybe 15 inch instead of 17, but I would put limit to that.

Cost savings need to come from interior and structural materials, interior options (not so fancy seats for example) and maybe from cheaper battery, PEM and motor.

I just read a lot about the material Graphene, a high-quality derivative of graphite that is revolutionizing a slew of products. What caught my eye especially and regarding electric cars in general was this quote:

"Engineers at Northwest University found that specially crafted graphene electrodes could allow a lithium-ion battery – like those found in your smartphone or Chevy Volt – to charge 10 times faster and hold 10 times more power."
I'd love to hear from Tesla on this....they make an extraordinary car and this improvement could give it a quantum leap forward in my opinion to help overcome gas/combustion dominance.

TJ
San Diego

frmercado | 17 Dicembre 2012

Either start direct R&D on graphene thechnology for application on next generation batteries, or start working with companies that have gained experience in the development and manufacture of new graphene batteries. I think this technology, in conjuction with a nation wide supercharger network, would allow Tesla to finally put to rest for good the range issue "stigma" that electric cars have.

Brian H | 17 Dicembre 2012

Keep in mind feeding that much power into the battery that fast requires special sources and connectors. Doubt if it could be adapted for home use.

I also believe huge digital screens with lots of electronics, innovative software, & unique connectivity are key for long term profit from a Gen III series & model C to make them viable to produce inexpensively in the millions.

That would be through superior ancillary services & monthly subscription fees to provide extreme value to the middle class , (Buick & Honda buyers), again through lots of these huge screens, electronics, software, & connectivity.

Now these services conceivably will be at the same price, or even save money for the car buyer providing continuing income to Tesla.

In short, as Elon says, "reasoning from 1st principals", e.g. what all is the middle class spending now on monthly fees & certain services that Tesla could provide ?

Not counting new services not yet invented, first principles says the money is there just from current spending by car buyers on various services, and, possibly a lot of that is up for grabs, if Tesla can provide the service & make it a compelling value. It's definitely doable and can be worth the effort, for example.

Example Number One

Let's project out a little bit, say the Tesla cars average $1000 dollars profit yearly for reoccurring ancillary services and there are 50,000 Tesla cars on the road. Thats 50 million dollars reocurring yearly profit for services.

And Tesla now manufactures 50,000 cars a year that average 10,000 dollars a car profit, (because of lower price models), that comes to 500 million dollars yearly profit from manufacturing.

So services is a significant amount, say 10% but wait, let's project out a little more.

Example Number Two

Let's say Tesla now manufactures 500,000 cars a year, averaging 8,000 dollars a car profit or 4 billion a year in total manufacturing profit. (The profit margin came down because of the Model C's lower price, $25,000).

Next services, say Tesla has now put 5 million cars on the road, each on average, still producing $1000 dollars a car profit in monthly services, that now generates 5 billion a year of profit from these non-manufacturing services.

Now more money comes in from services than manufacturing as more cars are produced!

Summary: services-- 5 billion profit
manufacturing---4 billion profit

And that's why I agree a lot of big screens, electronics, software & connectivity are great thing for Tesla to have, and over the long term will help to keep prices down for their Gen III cars and model C, as well as help keep down price increases.

That's long term of course, but the process and profits would start slowly now & accelerate more and more as cars on the road are increased and accumulate.

Tesluthian | 22 Dicembre 2012

Thanks for all the great response everyone. Sorry I haven't replied to everyone yet .

Haven't run into a heated steering wheel yet, if someone cares to enlighten me.

If I was going for a creature comfort, nothing beats a sharper image roller massage driver seat, cylindrical and/or spherical rollers roll up and done your spine in different patterns, pure heaven. Years ago, it use to be an actual chiropractic device, but that might not have a lot of appeal, is bulky to store as opposed to heated wipers, create more inventory items, not be an optimal item for ramping as fast as possible, be bad news in a crash, etc.

More critical for Gen III is get the e/mpg over 100, with a range over 300 miles for 65 kwh pack, due to less weight mostly.

Also I'm all for Tesla's idea of replacing side mirrors with video screens inside the car, perhaps the side mirror screens could be bottom left and right of the inside windshield. Tesla said this saves 5% on drag.

For a 2018 subcompact platform and Tesla model, which I'll code name the "Neutrino", 125-150 e/mpg and 400 miles per charge. Keep the 17" sreen for all models for less inventory items.

I also think one of the Gen III models and the Nuetrino subcompact could have the exact same sliding door I mentioned in #8 at the top. Say it gives 50 % more entry space than a single door, easy head/shoulder clearance, faster to install than four doors, cuts down door stamping & inventory 50% over a four door, yet easier to get in.

To stimulate more suggestions, here's a web page I like, "The Critical Thinking Community".